What Is the Nurse Practice Act?

Nursing has come a long way since the days of Florence Nightingale, and this ever-evolving dynamic profession has seen tremendous changes over the years. The Nurse Practice Act (NPA) is one of these changes enacted by the legislature of each state to protect patients' safety and to guide the scope of practice for all levels of nurses. Any change in the scope of nursing practice will be updated in the NPA.

Definition

• The Nurse Practice Act (NPA) defines the scope of practice specific to a registered nurse, a licensed practical nurse, an advanced nurse practitioner and a nurse anesthetist. It represents all laws that regulate a nurse's scope of practice in the state or states of America in which she (or he) is licensed to work. These laws protect patients from harm as well as lay the rules and regulations for the specific level of a nurse's educational and licensure requirements.

Function

• Each profession is responsible for protecting citizen's rights, and nursing is no exception. This practice is called professional regulation and it establishes standards and codes of ethics for practitioners at different levels of expertise.

State Requirements

• Each state in America has an NPA that is enacted by the state legislature that delineates the scope of proper nursing practice in that jurisdiction. This scope may vary from state to state so it is important for nurses to familiarize themselves with the rules and regulations of the state or states in which they are licensed to practice. Traveling nurses and those in the process of relocating to a different state need to pay particular attention to the local NPA.

Scope of Practice

• The scope of practice for a registered nurse, a licensed practical nurse and an advanced registered nurse as well as a nurse anesthetist are all different. This is determined by specific educational requirements and licensure applicable to each job title and covers procedures and patient care practices limited to the specific titles. In addition, all four positions are required to comply with United States employment rules and regulations.

Individual Professional Responsilbility

• It is important for health care professionals to take the responsibility to keep abreast of the changes and developments inherent in remaining a safe patient care provider as medical knowledge and practice adjust to a changing world. They need to rely on the resources of professional organizations and information found in professional journals in conjunction with the standards of practice of each employer and the continuing educational unit requirements as their guides in this. Nurses need to perform the duties for which they have received specific training. Most importantly, each needs to be familiar with the stipulations of her (or his) Nurse Practice Act.